Barranquilla or the Sandy as the locals call it, is the commercial, industrial, academic and cultural heart of the Colombian Caribbean.  It is also known as the golden gate and is the main port city of the Colombian Caribbean.

Barranquilla, the capital of the Colombian department of Atlántico, strategically located at the mouth of the Magdalena River with the Caribbean Sea, is an hour and 30 minutes from the cities of Cartagena and Santa Marta.  

The city is known for its huge Barranquilla Carnival, which brings together artists with extravagant costumes, elaborate floats and cumbia music. In the elegant neighborhood of El Prado, the Romantic Museum exhibits artifacts from past festivals and exhibitions of famous Colombians, such as the writer Gabriel García Márquez.



  • 129 km | 88 mi from Cartagena
  • 104 km | 65 mi from Santa Marta